Evacuating People from Afghanistan: Biman offered to run charter flights

Several charter flight companies have contacted Biman Bangladesh Airlines for its services to evacuate several thousand people, including Afghans who worked for the American troops, from war-torn Afghanistan. 

A charter flight company usually rents entire aircrafts for specific purposes.

"Several charter flight companies initially offered us to evacuate around 45,000 people from Afghanistan. In the last 15 days, we had talks with them several times on this issue," a top official of Biman told The Daily Star yesterday.

Biman Managing Director and CEO Dr Abu Saleh Mostafa Kamal said they are observing the overall situation in Afghanistan and will decide soon.

"Before deciding, we will have to know whether Kabul airport has the ground handling facilities, and who will carry out passengers' immigration formalities," said the Biman MD.

Moreover, the Biman boss said, "We have also informed the insurance companies concerned, seeking their opinion on operating evacuation flights in Kabul at this time."

"We want to know from the insurance companies whether we will get insurance money, in case of any unwanted incidents involving the aircrafts," he also said.

A top Biman official, wishing anonymity, said apart from Biman, Air Asia of Malaysia and Garuda Indonesia were also offered to operate evacuation flights from Kabul.

"The latest talks between an air-charter company and I took place on August 14. But nothing was finalised," said a Biman official.

The Biman official also said around 180 Afghan students studying at different educational institutions in Bangladesh are also trying to come to Dhaka.